


On Call

by supershadsy



Series: Think About Me [3]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-24 01:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7488210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supershadsy/pseuds/supershadsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sephiroth gets a call about a monster at the edge of Midgar, and on his way to take care of it, gets more than he bargained for. </p><p>Set in the <i><a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/6380188">Think About Me</a></i> universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Contact

**Author's Note:**

> Normally, when I do one-shots like these, I can make them so anyone can enjoy, but there's a lot of context to gather here about the 1sts from the _Think About Me_ world. If you read the first couple chapters of that story, you'll probably get the idea pretty quickly. Our resident god complexes are not nearly as dangerous as they are in canon, at least to others. 
> 
> After all that, please enjoy!

At around half past midnight, Sephiroth’s pager started beeping wildly on his nightstand.  _ For fuck’s sake,  _ he thought blearily, rolling over to silence it, fumbling it into his grasp.  _ What the hell do they want now… _

The full moon streamed through his window, and he turned the volume knob to its lowest setting before hitting the play button.  _ “This is HQ. There’s been sighting of a monster just west of the new development, by the forest’s edge. Not needed for research--kill it or chase it off. Respond within a half hour.”  _

With a long tone, the pager went silent.  _ A monster? I thought those were all driven out of the city limits.  _ He ran his hand through his hair and glanced out the window. The chrome of the plate glared back up at him, as well as the reflections of Shinra HQ, towering over everything else.  _ But, this is why I’m SOLDIER.  _

_ No one else can take care of shit like this but me.  _

Using the milky moonlight to guide him, he grabbed his uniform out of his closet and got dressed, sliding the suspenders over his shoulders and capping them with the metal shoulder pads. His long, slender sword had its own pegs on his wall, and he grabbed it, eyeing the blade before placing it against the magnetic holster on the back of his suspenders. He combed through his silver hair, smooth as silk, then quietly made his way out of the bedroom.

The living room was equally quiet, but he took a turn to the guest room, where three young people were sleeping--two in sleeping bags on the floor, and one on the bed.  _ Sound asleep. For the best.  _ However, the one closest to the door, long platinum hair draped in their eyes, stirred briefly. “Hn…?” they murmured, one eye half open.

“Go back to sleep,” Sephiroth replied, and quickly shut the door.  _ Damn it. Yaz has always been a light sleeper.  _ His cigarettes were on the kitchen table, and he snatched them, putting one behind his ear before double locking the apartment behind him. Stepping back, he walked a little down the hallway and paused at the next door.  _ Still, I’ll have to do this anyway. _

He knocked three times. Within a moment, Genesis answered, groggy and shirtless. Dim, red light flooded into the hallway. “What the fuck are you doing up?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

“What are  _ you  _ doing up?” Sephiroth retorted, then gestured to his uniform. “I got a call. Monster outside the badlands.”

“Another one? Shit.” Genesis shook his head, his tone clearing. “Are they sure?”

Sephiroth scoffed. “Who knows,” he said. “Might just be some old lady who  _ thinks  _ she saw it but it’s just a pack of wolves.”  _ At least, that’s what Shinra wants the public to think... _

“What do they want you to do?”

“Kill it or scare it off.”

“No capture, huh?” Genesis chuckled. “Guess they don’t want to take back their lab rats…”

_ Always cynical. Not that I blame him.  _ “Anyway, can you keep an ear out?” he sighed. “The boys are sleeping over. Yaz might already be awake.”

“Yeah, sure.” Genesis stared at him for a moment, leaning against the doorframe. “Do you need a shadow?” 

_ Gen.  _ “No,” Sephiroth replied. “I’ll be fine.” He turned to leave, then hesitated. “If...you don’t hear from me by dawn, come looking.”

Genesis’ eyes fell toward the floor, his hands flexing at his sides. “Fine,” he said. “Come back safe.”

Sephiroth’s lip curled. “What do you take me for?” he spat.

“Bastard,” Genesis muttered, before turning away and shutting the door in his face. 

_ Sorry, Gen.  _ Sephiroth tipped his head against the door, sighing heavily. “I will,” he muttered.

* * *

 

Sephiroth looped around the upper speedway of Midgar, taking the off ramp that sloped down outside of the city in his sleek, black sportscar. He cracked the window to tap the ash off his cigarette, immediately sticking it back in his mouth.  _ Something tells me I’ll know it when I see it. That’s how it always is.  _ A tape stuck out of the deck, and he popped it in and jammed the play button. With a warble, it started right into a heavy rock beat with chorused, distorted guitars:

_ “I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar, _ _  
_ _ I am the son and heir of nothing in particular…” _

He sighed and turned up the volume, smoke billowing from his mouth.  _ There hasn’t been anything like Wutai in years. It’s been quiet. Well, except for this--except for the “monsters” that Shinra’s been trying to cover up.  _

_ (“...lab rats…”) _

Genesis’ voice echoed in his head.  _ That’s what they were, weren’t they?  _ He was steadily approaching the forest, and began scanning more acutely.  _ Lab rats. They were _

_ human.  _

_ (are you?) _

The stereo echoed back at him.  _ “I am human and I need to be loved…” _

_ (are you anymore?) _

_ (just because you survived--) _

_ “...just like everybody else does.” _

He tugged at his ear, where a black feather earring hung, and let his fingers run over the surface, memorizing its texture.  _ I don’t know anymore.  _ He crushed the cigarette in the ashtray, already overwhelmed with discarded filters.  _ What does it matter… _

A flicker in the distance caught his eye, and he jammed on the brakes, pulling over immediately. Squinting toward the edge of the forest, he saw it again. A pair of yellow reflections, right back at him.  _ Eyes.  _

He killed the engine, silence flooding the car, and grabbed his sword from the backseat.  _ Let’s...get this over with.  _ With a sigh, he exited the car, holding his sword out with one hand in front of him.  _ Masamune… _

_ (“Now that you’re 1st, you should commission your own sword,” Genesis said, gesturing to the one holstered on his back. He reached behind him and pulled out his own--a slim, red rapier that he tossed in his hands. “Better than those 30 year old hunks of metal.” _

_ “Is it covered?” Sephiroth asked. _

_ He snorted. “No, of course not. They might pay us well, but they’ll bleed you dry.” He looked him over, deep blue eyes raking over his form, from his belt to his head. “Something slim and light. You don’t need anything like Angeal’s.”  _

_ Sephiroth crossed his arms. “As much as I’d like to, I don’t exactly have the means for a million gil weapon.” He pulled the sword from his back, dense and covered in scuff marks. “Disgusting...” _

_ Genesis smirked. “I can take care of it.”  _

_ “Would you.”  _

_ “Get you a sword as big as your fucking ego.”) _

The long, slender blade glinted in the starlight.  _ He certainly delivered,  _ he thought, shutting the car door with his rear.  _ This sword’s blade is five feet long, but still swift...still deadly. It withstood all those soldiers in Wutai, and Gen and Angeal in practice as well… _

_ A blade made specifically for my skill.  _

Boots crunching in the gravelly sand, he creeped toward the forest line, where dirt quickly turned to grass and twigs. The yellow eyes stayed in place, cautiously watching as Sephiroth made his way closer and closer, soon shrouded by the thicket of trees. “Show yourself,” he muttered, focusing his eyes in the night. “Sh--”

A low, deep growl cut him short, as well as the slow, pounding footsteps of the creature growing closer and closer. He gripped his sword tighter, as the eyes drifted upwards, slightly taller than his natural line of sight, and the stars gave just enough light to reveal its form. 

It was a beast. 

Covered in dense fur, with horns curling above its head, it bared its teeth at Sephiroth, in an attempt to threaten him.  _ This isn’t just any “monster”,  _ Sephiroth mused, focusing to keep his heartrate slow and even.  _ This is...this is a behemoth.  _ Its face was reminicent of a lion, but bigger with wider eyes, ears that were flattened back against its head. A huge, “Y” shaped scar was on its hunched chest, and it kept its clawed hands close to its body, claws longer than Sephiroth’s fingers. Its tail curled around it, with a tattered cape attached by the waist draped around it. He could hear it breathing, feel its heat as it loomed over him.  _ Another… _

_ Just another monster… _

Sephiroth sighed through his nose and whipped his sword forward, barely close enough to graze its chest. The monster flinched and swiped an enormous hand at him, claws sharp and ready. With a jump back, he barely dodged it, using his sword to shield the blow.  _ You’ll need to try harder than that.  _ He narrowed his eyes and readied his sword, giving another jab at his chest.  _ Kill it or chase it away. As if they couldn’t expect me to take it out myself. It’s dangerous to underestimate a SOLDIER’s power, _

_ and not just any SOLDIER’s… _

_ Mine.  _

The beast howled in pain as Sephiroth slashed across its shoulder, dark blood staining the edge of his pristine blade. With another glare of its eerie, yellow eyes, the beast clawed at him again, with the same, injured arm.  _ It’s only using one,  _ he observed, glancing over to the side furthest from him.  _ Why-- _

As he ducked underneath the blow, his attention missed its thick tail at his feet, and it knocked him over backwards with a force harder than he could right himself with. He hit the ground with a thud, and backed against the nearest tree, the Masamune scuffing against the leaves. The beast caught up with him quickly, however, and pinned him to the tree by its sheer mass alone--giving him no escape. 

_ Damn it, careless!  _

Sephiroth prepared his sword, about to launch it up into its throat, but paused when the beast stared at him. Studied him, eyes flickering all over his face.  _ What are you looking at? If you will not try and fight, I’ll just have to kill you first-- _

The beast growled, low in its throat.

_ “Sss...Sephiroth…” _

He froze, pupils dilating in his electric, blue-green eyes.  _ It...spoke?  _

_ It spoke… _

_ my name… _

Gone was his composure, so meticulously kept, as his heartbeat hammered in his head. The beast still made no move to hurt him--in fact, it took a step back, giving Sephiroth space to scramble to his feet. He still used the tree to balance him, and he still kept his sword in front of him, lengthening it as long as the beast would give him space. “You...how…” Sephiroth muttered, his throat dry. “How do you know my name?”  _ A beast like this...how can it even talk? _

_ (“...lab rats…”) _

_ Right...still...I’ve never come across this in any recent memory… _

The beast’s gaze was steady on him, and as Sephiroth’s eyes adjusted more to the dark light, he could discern more of its features--the grizzled, spikier fur on the top of its head, down through its back, and a glint of gold near its other arm, still kept hidden away against its hunched body.  _ “You...your…”  _ the beast pronounced, words thick through its canine teeth.  _ “Your...mothhher…”  _

_ Jenova?  _ Sephiroth jabbed his sword out at full length, right hand clenched at his side. “What about her?” he snapped.  _ And the others…!  _ “Don’t you dare...I’ll  _ kill you _ before you hurt her, or her--”

To his surprise, the beast interrupted him with a whine, pawing at the ground and shaking a nearby tree.  _ “No...nnnever,”  _ it yowled.  _ “Never...hurt...no…”  _

It sunk further to the ground, and Sephiroth found himself lowering his sword, making a small tap as it reached the twigs and foliage on the ground.  _ Who is this creature?  _ he thought as it abandoned speech to growl at the ground.  _ How does it know me? And my mother…?  _ Even as he narrowed his eyes to try and calm himself once again, to enter a state of trained focus, his blade hand refused to stop quivering.  _ Damn it, damn it… _

_ (pity isn’t part of this job) _

_ I am well aware...I am very aware… _

_ (“Kill it or chase it off.”) _

It looked back at up at Sephiroth, ears still back against its head.  _ “Never...Sssephiroth…”  _

He flinched, jerking his sword. “Leave,” he whispered. “Just...leave, damn it.” He gripped the Masamune, hands clammy inside his gloves, and raised it up in a two handed stance, keeping his eyes as level as possible. “Or...I will  _ make you.”  _

The beast blinked slow at him, and stayed very still.  _ Come on, move, move, move.  _ Sephiroth’s teeth clenched in his jaw, willing his posture to be just as steady, just as motionless.  _ For fuck’s sake, I could kill you in an instant, and I’m giving you a chance, just go… _

_ Whatever, and whoever you are… _

At last, it gave him a deep nod, then turned around, slow and laborious, tail and cape dragging behind it. Its tail grazed the tip of Sephiroth’s boot. Twisting its head around, it gave him one last, long look.  _ “You…”  _ it growled.  _ “...Safe.”  _

With that, it lumbered away into the forest, where the dark and the thick forestry quickly camouflaged it into obscurity. Sephiroth listened as each heavy footstep grew more and more distance, until he let himself breathe, let himself drop his sword to his side, let himself run a shaking hand back through his hair. “Fuck,” he hissed, willing himself off the tree he had leaned against.  _ I’ve seen some horrific things, being affiliated with Shinra. Former SOLDIERs oversaturated with mako. Piles of bodies left to burn in the desolate desert. Monsters with spider limbs and bleeding, fleshy wings, unable to do anything but cry for death.  _

_ But...nothing like this.  _

He sheathed his sword behind his back and  rushed back to where his car was parked, fishing into his belt for his pager. He clicked it a couple times, then took a deep breath and held it to his lips. “1st-class Cetra reporting,” he said. “The monster has been taken care of. It escaped deep into the forest out of city limits. No further information to report.” 

_ No, nothing to report.  _ He smoothed back a section of his hair, ending his follow-through with another stroke to his feather earring.  _ I want to forget this happened. I don’t want to think about some beast who knows me by name...when I have never seen such a thing in my life… _

_ It may not be as gruesome, but it is… _

_...closer than I wish it to be.  _

He brought the pager back to his mouth. “Gen,” he murmured. “I’m on my way back.”

The sky just began to brighten on the horizon, a faint blue against the rest of the inky sky. Sephiroth got back into the car, slammed the door, and immediately pulled out another cigarette from the pack on the dashboard.  _ Forget about it,  _ he thought, sticking it between his lips and punching the lighter on the console.  _ It was just another job, just another mess for me to clean up. I took care of it, there’s nothing more to say.  _

The engine whirred to life, as well as the tape, and he punched the volume dial to silence it as he lurched the car into gear. Tires squealing in the early morning, he peeled out of the desert with a tense hand on the wheel.  _ Nothing… _

_ (“Sephiroth…”) _

He winced just as the lighter popped out.  _ Nothing more to say.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song on the tape is ["How Soon Is Now"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEq8DBxm0J4), by The Smiths.


	2. Report

Genesis’ living room was hazy with smoke, hazy with dim red light, and the wash of sound around them:

_ “I think it was the first time I realized that you could change the world, _ __  
_ Or, at least change the way you and my sister hit the clock on every tick  _ __  
_ Just to see what happened. _ _  
_ __ Time has really flown by, I guess…”

Sephiroth felt at one with the beanbag chair he had sunk himself into, with Genesis straddling his lap. He arched his bare chest forward as he took another hit from the pipe in his hand--holding it in long, long, then letting it out slow. Smoke filtered from his nose and his lips before he glanced back down, smirking. He held it out to him, and Sephiroth took it. 

A hit for him, not as deep, but just as effective. His hand felt like it was made of lead as he rested the pipe beside him, trying to keep Genesis’ thin but toned figure in focus above him.  _ I’m...so high.  _ The thought floated through his mind--almost palpable enough for him to see it--before it faded into the ambience around him. 

With one hand, Genesis reached down and ran his fingers through Sephiroth’s hair, down over his chest, before he swept it away behind his shoulder. “Like...silk,” Genesis murmured, voice barely audible through the disjointed sound of guitars behind them. He then ran one finger across his exposed collarbone, the same lazy look pasted on his face. 

The sensation raised goosebumps over his skin, and Sephiroth tilted his head back to drink in the chill. Speaking was difficult, as his mind had a hard time delivering the message to his mouth. If he focused on the way his tongue moved, it became marginally doable. “I take...care of it,” Sephiroth managed, staring at the ceiling. 

Genesis snickered. “Of course you do,” he said. It turned into a giggle, and he held his stomach until he was able to compose himself.  _ You pathetic stoner,  _ Sephiroth thought, at least until he leaned all the way over, flush against his chest, forcing him to meet his eyes. “Why...would  _ you... _ settle for anything...anything less?” 

He was dangerously close to his face, nose nearly touching his.  _ God damn it, Gen.  _ Genesis’ hands trickled to his waist, then down to his hips. “Anything less than…” he whispered, chuckling in the midst of it. “...perfection?” 

His lip curled up, and with a tilt of his head, Genesis closed the thin gap between them and kissed Sephiroth on the mouth. His high slowed everything down to a crawl, but Sephiroth kissed back, slow, slow, slow. He could feel the shape of his lips, nearly memorized beneath his own.  _ We’ve been doing this...for a while.  _ Each movement was anticipated, even the occasional stutter, the lazy pace, and the progression to opening up…

_ “Hnn…”  _

Genesis moaned very slightly in the back of his throat as his tongue reached for his, and he gripped Sephiroth’s hips tighter, as tight as he could given how blazed he seemed to be. He responded in turn, leaning up as Genesis made him reach in order to kiss him properly. Heat flooded him, compounded with the dull fog in his mind, and he let himself sink in--

_ “Nn…” _

\--kissing him harder,

_ (yellow eyes in the dead of the night) _

pulling him down by his head and gripping a fistful of his fringed hair--

_ (“Sssephiroth…”) _

Sephiroth’s eyes flashed open, and his passion waned, leaving Genesis to kiss at his unresponsive lips for a moment.  _ Damn it, that voice,  _ he thought as his hand slinked down from Genesis’ head, staring off into space.  _ I thought I’d managed to put it out of my mind, but… _

Genesis broke the kiss and sat up, cocking his head. “What?” he asked.

Sephiroth shook his head, eyes in soft focus keeping still. Genesis snorted and draped himself against him once again, scooting his hips back so he could rest his chin on his chest. “Usually you don’t...let up like that with my tongue in your mouth,” he said. “What’s wrong, baby~?” 

He found the haze from his high clearing remarkably.  _ “Don’t,”  _ Sephiroth grumbled. It wasn’t completely gone, however--as he tried to push his head away, he didn’t have much strength to do more than mash his bangs in his face.  _ Wipe that shitty grin off your stoned face.  _

Genesis reached back for the bowl--it took a couple tries for him to find it, despite being right near Sephiroth’s ass--and took another hit. “Really,” he tried again, smoke accompanying his words. He didn’t do anything more than glance back at him, but the look asked the question anyway:  _ What’s wrong?  _

For another minute, Sephiroth stayed quiet.  _ I haven’t told anyone...about that night. I can’t imagine anyone would believe me.  _ When he looked back over to him, Genesis was still looking at him intently--as intently as he could, even with his head bobbing to the noisy music.  _ But, if there is anyone who would...it would be him, wouldn’t it?  _

“I…” Sephiroth started finally, pushing his bangs back and holding them on top of his head. “The last mission I went on...couple weeks ago…” He sighed deeply. “I saw...something…”

Genesis sat up again, although in a less seductive manner this time--no longer with an arched back, simply with his hands over Sephiroth’s chest. He tried to flick his head to adjust his bangs over his face, but was too slow, and instead got them right in his eyes. This didn’t seem to phase him. “What?” he asked. “What...failed experiment did you find?”

“Looked like...a behemoth,” he muttered. “It...it…” 

Sephiroth squeezed his eyes shut, seeing the beast in his mind’s eye clear as day, before flashing them open again. “Spoke to me…” In his pause, he could hear the voice echoing in his mind.  _ Sephiroth, Sephiroth, Sephiroth.  _ “Called me...by name…”

Genesis head dipped forward, eyes wide, and he coughed up smoke.  _ “Fuck,” _ he choked, waving the cloud away from his face. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“No,” Sephiroth whispered, and glanced over to his arm. Goosebumps had sprouted, raising the fine, silvery hair on them on end. “I wish…”

“You weren’t high?”

“I’m not  _ you, _ asshole.” 

The comment passed over his head, that or he simply didn’t acknowledge it. Genesis began rubbing small circles against Sephiroth’s chest. “Didn’t recognize it?” he asked.

“No,” Sephiroth replied. “Not at all…”  _ Not the voice, not the face...nothing. Who could it have been? Who knew me...and spoke of my mother… _

Genesis sighed and shrugged, eyes focused down at his hands massaging him. “Well, you’re pretty famous,” he murmured, lazily tilting his head from one shoulder to the other. “Who  _ wouldn’t  _ know the great Sephiroth?”

_ You’re trying to butter me up.  _ Sephiroth rolled his eyes.  _ Not that I mind, for he does make a point.  _ “Still,” he said. “He mentioned my mother…”

“What about her?” 

He shook his head. “It...didn’t say.” 

They sat in silence for some time--how long, Sephiroth couldn’t say, as the sound and the atmosphere washed all sense of coherency into a messy aura. “It was...haunting,” he muttered aloud. “I let it...go. I let it free...it was whimpering…”

“Seph,” Genesis said quietly. Sephiroth blinked up at him to find the bowl right in front of his face.  _ Of course, your solution to anything is to just get more high.  _ Even though he pushed it away, Genesis’ gaze was still steady. “Let it go.”

“But--”

A finger at his lips, a hush from Genesis’. If it were anyone else, if he were sober, they would have gotten a smack in the face, but Sephiroth let him do it, staring up with heavy eyes. “Just...let it go,” he said again, running his finger over his bottom lip. “That’s what...what we come here to do, isn’t it?

“To pretend we aren’t the hideous gods they made us out to be?” 

The stereo blared noise loud enough for Genesis to wince, and he stumbled to his feet. “Fuck, this one’s...too heavy…” 

Sephiroth watched as he swaggered over to the stereo, each step careful and measured. Even still, he almost stumbled over his own feet as he dropped to his knees in front of the stereo. “Damn it,” Genesis muttered, but after a second of squinting, managed to skip to the next track. 

_ Just let it go, huh,  _ Sephiroth thought.  _ I’m not high 90% of my life, so it’s not quite as easy.  _ Genesis stood up, jeans below his hips, with the band of his boxer briefs showing clear above them. Sephiroth’s gaze raked from the trail of reddish brown hair that went up to his belly button, up through his chest, his broad but bony shoulders, through to his collarbone. The pipe was left at his side, and as he continued to stare, he found it in his hand again, almost to his lips. “You could’ve used the remote,” he commented before taking a hit. 

This struck Genesis just right, as he began to giggle. “Shit,” he hissed, pitch growing higher as he staggered back over to him. “I...forgot…” 

He collapsed back in his lap just as Sephiroth blew the smoke from his hit out of his nose, just over Genesis’ head. “Pathetic,” he grunted.  _ Let it go… _

_ Let… _

_...it… _

_...go… _

His high returned to him with a welcome blanket of calm, combined with Genesis’ hot breath against his neck. “You won’t be saying that soon enough,” he muttered. “C’mon…”

He kissed at his neck, nipping just enough to make Sephiroth arch back. As he closed his eyes, the stereo continued to blare around them:

_ “Oooh, you’re an angel, you’re an angel…”  _

Sephiroth closed his eyes as he felt Genesis’ hand wander to his belt, unbuttoning his jeans and feeling for him underneath. He sucked in hard as soon as he touched him.  _ “Ah…”  _

Genesis snickered. “That’s much better,” he whispered, right into his ear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gen has put on the Drop Nineteens album _Deleware_ for their trip--the two songs featured are ["Kick The Tragedy"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB7iPiFExN4) and ["Angel".](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXHHqcNqllo)


	3. Revisitation

Genesis and Angeal exited Shinra HQ, each with a cigarette in their hands as they walked back into the smoking area. “Is that a weed cig?” Angeal asked before pulling out his lighter. 

He smirked. “Maybe.”

Angeal rolled his eyes. “Christ. I thought you were over getting high on the clock.” 

“Hey, now, it’s been a while. I’ve got to indulge every so often.”

“Gen. You indulge every God damn  _ day.”  _ He snapped the lighter and lit the smoke between his lips, glaring all the while. “Don’t.”

“Only if you say please.”

_ “Genesis.”  _

With a heavy sigh, Genesis withdrew his pack once again.  _ Angeal isn’t as fun to tease as the great angel of darkness,  _ he thought, trading the weed cigarette for one with a brown tip. “Fine, fine,” he replied.  _ But, I can’t say no to that tone. Never have been able to.  _ His lip twitched.  _ Shit… _

His train of thought was interrupted with Angeal poked him with the lighter. With a nod, Genesis took it wordlessly.  _ Angeal, remind me again why you stick around with a pathetic waste like me? A god with one wing, black and fractured.  _ The back of his shoulder itched, and he quelled the feeling by lighting the cigarette, taking a deep drag.  _ This drug isn’t as potent, but it’s going to have to do… _

From his pocket, his pager suddenly beeped. “The fuck?” he said, speech distorted by the cigarette and smoke flooding his mouth. With a sigh, Genesis clicked it and held it up to his ear. “Let’s see…”

_ “Rhapsodos. The behemoth that was at the city limits is back again. Cetra turned it down. Respond within a half hour, or I’m moving on.”  _

“A behemoth?” Angeal remarked. “Thought Shinra wasn’t making those anymore…”

“This must be the one that got away,” Genesis muttered in reply, turning the pager over in his hand. “Must’ve really spooked Seph for him to turn it away…”

“What happened?”

“Guess it talked to him, or something.” 

“Shit.” Angeal shook his head, blowing his own puff of smoke out through his nose, then glanced down to him. “Are you going to take it?” 

“Yeah, yeah.” He held a button on the side of the pager. “I’m on it.” With a huff, he stuffed it back into his belt. “They’re going to make me do fuckin’ paperwork for it, though, I know it…”

“Part of the job,” Angeal shrugged.

“Along with being a murder machine.” Genesis tossed his cigarette on the ground and snuffed it out with the toe of his boot.  _ Wandering soul knows no rest.  _ “You guys will probably have to rehearse without me today.”

Angeal checked his watch under his glove. “Think it’ll take that long?” 

“Maybe. If I can talk to the thing, too.” He chuckled and offered Angeal a quick wink.  _ I’ll get to see it up close and personal, see if it was just a fluke, or if it really knows him.  _

He crossed his arms. “You need a shadow?” 

Genesis’ fingers twitched. “Nah,” he replied.

_ (“What the hell are you doing out here?”  _

_ Blearily, Genesis stared back up at the teenager, unable to focus on his concerned face for more than a minute. The wind whistled through the apple tree above him, rocking the branches and blowing the smoke from his blunt sideways. “Wha…” _

_ “Are you…” He knelt down at his side, crisp polo tight on his shoulders. “Are you  _ high?” 

_ “What’s it to you?” he slurred.  _

_ The teenager shook his head. “C’mon, we’re going to be late for school.” His hand was big enough to take Genesis’ forearm in one grip, and he yanked him to his feet. “You should put that out, or you’ll get in trouble…” _

_ “What do you care?” Genesis mumbled, staggering as the kid dragged him through the back of the orchard.  _

_ He whirled on him, pulling the blunt from his mouth and stamping it out on the ground. “I saw the smoke from the road,” he said, looking him over. “I was worried something might’ve happened--c’mon, let’s just go…!”  _

_ Genesis allowed himself to be dragged, past the rows of trees, past his mansion and onto the main road that led into the heart of Banora. “Hey…” he said, blinking hard to focus. “Who…” _

_ He eased on his grip, right at the street side, and gave a small smile. “I’m Angeal. We’re in a couple classes together, Genesis.”) _

“Shouldn’t be anything I can’t handle.”  _ You’ve saved my ass enough times as it is… _

_ Angeal… _

He snorted and gave a nod. “Fine, then. See, it’s a  _ good _ thing you’re sober, now, isn’t it?” he said, clapping him on the back. “Let me know how you make out.”

Genesis only nodded to him as he finished his cigarette and made his way inside.  _ I remember the days where you wouldn’t let me go anywhere alone,  _ he thought, staring up at the plate.  _ Never liked being babysat, but you know what? _

_ (He rubbed his head, squinting at his surroundings. Pews lay before him, dingy and worn, and the windows above him were stained glass, all the color worn away, impossible to distinguish the designs. “God damn,” Genesis muttered. “Where...am I?” _

_ Beside him, in a standard-class uniform, sat Angeal, arms crossed over his chest. “I can’t believe you,” he grumbled, brown eyes narrowed slits. “You pass your SOLDIER exam, and the first thing you do is get so wasted you pass out in the street?” _

_ Genesis snickered, despite the jolt in his chest. He couldn’t remember leaving the lab…) _

He rolled his shoulders back and sighed.  _ When it was with you, it was all right. Times change though, don’t they?  _

_ Let’s clean up this mess… _

* * *

 

The late afternoon sun hung midway in the sky as Genesis pulled over by the forest’s edge.  _ A monster, hanging out in broad daylight?  _ He thought, slamming the company car door with his rear. The tip of his sheathed sword dinged against the side.  _ It’s like it’s begging to be killed or something… _

He yanked out his sword and twirled it in his hand.  _ That’s something I can surely do.  _ Genesis kept his other hand in his pocket, keeping an even pace as he strolled to the forest’s edge.  _ Built to kill, I can take care of anything that comes my way… _

_ Funny, shouldn’t I be  _ more  _ afraid, if it managed to threaten Sephiroth? Self-proclaimed greatest SOLDIER Shinra’s ever seen, their little darling?  _ He chuckled to himself.  _ Well, even if we’re on level playing fields now, I started out as his senior. Like Angeal to Zack, like Zack to Cloud.  _

_ So, if slaying demons like me is what I have to do, then I’ll do it.  _

_ “There is no hate, only joy,”  _ Genesis found himself muttering as the dirt turned from sand to gravel and brush.  _ “For you are beloved by the Goddess...hero of--”  _

A rustle in the bushes stopped him dead. He side stepped behind the first tree he could find, watching the movement carefully. He held his breath as the beast--yes, this had to be the one, with darkish maroon fur, yellow eyes, and a hunched, hulking body--emerged from it, only to slink close to the ground. A cape trailed around its waist, blood red, and the more it walked, the more it staggered, low to the ground.  _ Is it wounded?  _ Genesis thought, gripping his rapier close to his body.  _ An easy target-- _

Then, it shifted.

It lay close to the ground, trying to hide itself in its cape, before it seemed to shrink inside it, like a deflating balloon. Genesis blinked hard, shaking his head.  _ What…?  _ After a minute of lying still, the creature rose again, although this time in the shape of a hunched over man. His face was pallid and sickly, even from what little he could make out in profile. Matted, ratty hair cascaded over his shoulders, similar in shape to the crest the beast had before. 

_ I am...not high enough for this,  _ he thought as he gawked.  _ No wonder it could talk, it’s a fucking werebeast… _

Genesis realized his cover was blown when the man cocked a triple barreled gun in his direction, the click of it loading audible from even his distance. “SOLDIER,” he said. 

_ Honestly, another gun to a swordfight,  _ he mused, tempting fate by sauntering closer, spinning his sword in his hand once again.  _ Then again, I didn’t think I’d be fighting another human. Was that really a regular cigarette? No, Angeal would’ve smelled it and called me out.  _ “This is unexpected,” he replied. “I was called out to fight a behemoth, not a...whatever you are.”

The man didn’t budge, reddish, tired eyes fixated on Genesis’ deep blue. “I don’t  _ have _ to kill you, even though it’s probably in my best interest,” he said, shrugging.  _ How close can I get before I can’t dodge three bullets in my stomach?   _ “I can let you go quietly, if you talk.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Nothing for Shinra,” he muttered. 

“Oh, no, of course not,” Genesis replied with a smirk, holding his sword out so it was level with the barrel of the werebeast’s gun. He closed one eye, and pinpointed it to the top hole. “Fuck Shinra, honestly. I’d burn that fuckin’ place to the ground, but--” He sighed and shook his head. “My  _ esteemed colleagues  _ won’t let me.” 

There was no reply from him, but no movement either.  _ Not very personable, are you?  _ “How do you know Sephiroth?” he asked. “He was supposed to come and get you, but he refused. Why’s that?” 

It was this that made him flinch, and he slowly lowered his gun to his side. Then, tilted his head toward the ground. Each of these movements took an excruciating amount of time, and Genesis tapped his toe in the brush waiting. “A favor,” he mumbled finally. “From...someone long ago.”

Genesis raised an eyebrow. “From who?” 

He met his eyes once again, with a long look.  _ The more I look at him...the more I get the feeling that...I’ve seen him somewhere before. But, where?  _ “His mother.” 

Genesis lowered his sword. “Jenova?” 

A slow shake of the head.  _ That’s right. Sephiroth was adopted, wasn’t he? So…  _ The man fussed with his gun, then slipped it back into his holster inside his trenchcoat. “To protect him,” he continued. “Sephiroth…”

Genesis snorted. “He doesn’t need protecting,” he blurted, crossing his arms and leaning against the nearest tree. “Haven’t you heard about his great exploits? 1st-class, Wutai, all that?” 

He took a deep breath. “I was there,” he replied simply. “I do not...easily miss.” 

_ Jesus,  _ he thought, a gloved hand over his mouth.  _ I don’t know how much I believe that, but...I just saw a behemoth shrink into a man before my eyes, so what’s going to fucking surprise me now?  _ “What, are you going to tell me you’re his father, or something? Some kind of guardian angel?” 

To his surprise, the man chuckled, hollow as it was. “No,” he replied. “If only it were that...simple.” 

His footsteps were heavy, reminiscent of the beast, and although he didn’t seem imposing, he loomed over Genesis leaning on the tree. “You’re his friend,” he stated.

_ Something like that.  _ “Yeah.”

Another sigh. Closer, Genesis could see the gauntness in his cheekbones, and smell the heavy scent of age and something else wafting from his enormous trenchcoat.  _ It reminds me of blood,  _ he thought fleetingly. His eyes stayed on the horizon, but flicked briefly down to Genesis. “Do not mention this to him,” he muttered, low and grating. “He doesn’t--”

“What?” Genesis cut him off, adrenaline spiking in his chest. “Doesn’t need to know there’s a monster out there protecting him?” It was his turn to laugh, humorless as he flipped his sword onto his shoulder. “You’re not the only one, my friend.”

The man let out an audible sigh, then turned on one heel and skated past him, toward a thicker part of the forest. “One more thing,” Genesis called out to him. “Are you going to tell me who you are?” 

No response. Genesis watched him until he disappeared completely into the thicket.  _ How the fuck am I going to report this again? Bastard…  _ He sheathed his sword and rubbed his temple.  _ If he shows up again, we’ll all be fucked. Doesn’t seem to want to cause any trouble, especially...if he’s “protecting” Seph, or whatever.  _

As he exited the forest, he pulled his pack from his pocket and grabbed a cigarette--this time, one with a green tip.  _ Imagine, if he knew all of these people were watching his ass.  _ He held it between his fingers, almost putting it between his lips, then resorting to sticking it behind his ear as he got back in the car.  _ He’d probably scoff, flip his hair, say he didn’t need it.  _

_ (just like you said) _

Genesis started the car and rolled down the window all the way, leaning his arm out it while he peeled out with one hand on the wheel.  _ But...secretly, he’d be pleased. He loves it when people kiss the ground he walks on. I’ve seen the quiet pride on his lips when one of his kid brothers compliments him. Or, when the standards look at him with that wide-eyed stare.  _

_ Or when I… _

_ (Panting, naked on his back; Genesis loomed over his face, licking his lips. “How’d you like that?” he murmured. “You satisfied~?” _

_ A heavy lidded stare wasn’t enough to dull the brightness of his electric eyes, nor did Genesis miss the tug at the corner of his mouth. He didn’t respond with words, only with a vague nod of his head before it lolled to his opposite shoulder…) _

Genesis bit his lip.  _ Yeah, that.  _

_ That bastard loves the attention, no matter what kind it is… _

He turned up the radio on the stereo, and was met with static. The seek button gave him a few options, the first one catching his ear quickly:

_ “And he was just like a great dark wing, _ __  
_ Within the wings of a storm. _ _  
_ __ I think I had met my match…” 

His fingers flinched over the dial, but he chose to leave it, the wind from the open window rushing through his hair.  _ Still doesn’t solve how I’m going to report this… _

* * *

 

Much later that night, Lucrecia Crescent received a knock on her office door. “Dr. Crescent?” 

She shook her head, pushing papers around on her desk.  _ I think I fell asleep...  _ “Yes?” she answered, fighting off a yawn.

Tseng let himself in, holding a folder in his hand. “I saw the light on,” he said. “I didn’t think you’d still be here.”

She offered him a thin lipped smile. “There’s always something to do around here, you know how it is.” 

The quick raise of both his eyebrows agreed with her as he handed it over. “Here’s that report you requested, about the behemoth on the outskirts.” He sighed and crossed his arms. “Rhapsodos made it, so I can’t guarantee how detailed it’s going to be.”

“That’s fine, this is all I need,” she replied, retrieving her glasses from her desk. “Thank you, Tseng.” 

“Anytime,” he said. He kept his back to her as he walked out. “Try not to stay too much longer. It’s late.” 

“Good night.” 

She flipped open the file, consisting only of a few pages in disoriented scrawl.  _ I didn’t need this whole file,  _ she thought, scanning over the writing.  _ I just wanted to get it out of the company’s hands. I already know about the werebeast who lurks on the outskirts of the Midgar badlands.  _

Lucrecia leaned back in her chair, years of stress etched on her forehead and underneath her eyes, gray streaks in her auburn hair.  _ I already know about Vincent Valentine.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that comes on the radio is ["Sara"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHJb87nNsGY) by Fleetwood Mac. This last chapter in particular will become relevant in _Think About Me_ pretty soon (as of posting, when the latest chapter is 32), which Genesis being out for rehearsal. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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